Enemy of the State (1998)

Directed by: Tony Scott

Written by: David Marconi

A lawyer Robert Dean finds himself in the middle of political schemes. His every move is tracked by NSA when he accidentally acquires a tape of politician murdering a congressman. 

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After watching a terrible movie the other day (it will be included in the monthly collection of shorter reviews) I wanted to watch something really good. My dad recommended Enemy of the State mostly because he knows how much I like Will Smith.

And Will Smith definitely doesn't disappoint the audience. He's extremely talented actor, and he adds his own charm to each character he plays. Of course some might find that annoying, but in the end his charm is what makes even the otherwise unlikable characters sympathetic. I read that Tom Cruise was first considered to play the main character. There are people out there who love Cruise but I personally could not like Robert Dean if played by him. 

I think I've only seen one movie by Tony Scott before, and that was Domino. In Domino I was annoyed by the overuse of the special effects and weird cinematography. In Enemy of the State Scott's input is clear, but it is definitely easier to follow this one. Sure, weird effects are used, but not all the time, and while some shots are still "artsy" in a way, it doesn't affect the whole movie, just few scenes, during which it's not always easy to even notice. 

Enemy of the State is an excellent thriller. It's the antagonist that makes you sit on the edge of your seat - NSA has satellites and basically eyes everywhere, how is one person going to outrun all that? I love the use of NSA as the antagonist, since it feels all powerful, and it makes the film still very current. This is one of those movies that make conspiracy theorists wet themselves, yet isn't too far fetched. All the chase scenes are excellently executed, and the feeling of helplessness is extremely thrilling. 

The only annoying thing is that sometimes the technology doesn't seem believable. Would there really be a surveillance camera in a lingerie shop that would be good enough for someone to almost get a full 360 degree view of the shop? That didn't seem real. 

Enemy of the state is a marvellous movie. It has clever twists and interesting characters, even if most of them are just plain annoying - all that is saved by Will Smith's charisma, and the main character's family. That way there's at least someone who to root for. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. This is, no doubt, one of the best thrillers out there.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

9 / 10